Jeremiah 25:9
in Jeremiah 25behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith Jehovah, and I will send unto Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
KJV
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
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This verse in Jeremiah 25
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The term families is probably used here to signify the widespread empire of Nebuchadnezzar. My servant - This title, so remarkable in the Old Testament as the especial epithet, first of Moses, and then of the Messiah, is thrice given to Nebuchadnezzar, and marks the greatness of the commission entrusted to him.
This site's exposition
Therefore this is what the LORD
on Jeremiah 25:8-11
Its instrument is “My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,” a pagan king called the LORD's servant. The desolation silences ordinary life: “the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.” The seventy years are named here first in the book.
This site's exposition
My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
The LORD calls Nebuchadnezzar His servant, a title Barnes notes was used first of Moses and later of the Messiah. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown compare Cyrus, named the LORD's shepherd in Isaiah. A pagan king carries out God's plan without knowing it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 9) And I will bring them upon this land and upon its inhabitants and upon all the nations around it. And I will destroy them and make them a horror, and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. These are the rewards of those who despise and refuse to listen to the words of God. Therefore, whatever evil comes upon us, it is because of our sins.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The fixing of time during which the captivity should last would be of great use, not only for the confirmation of the prophecy, when the event (which in this particular could by no human sagacity be foreseen) should exactly answer the prediction, but for the comfort of the people of God in their calamity and the encouragement of faith and prayer.
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord,....
Note, The messengers of God's wrath will be sent against those that would not receive the messengers of his mercy. One way or other God will be heeded, and will make men know that he is the Lord. Nebuchadrezzar, though a stranger to the true God, the God of Israel, nay, an enemy to him and afterwards a rival with him, was yet, in the descent he made upon his country.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The Medes and other northern peoples, confederate with Babylon, are included with the Chaldeans. my servant--My agent for punishing (Jer 27:6; 43:10; compare Jer 40:2). Cyrus, "My shepherd." God makes even unbelievers unconsciously to fulfil His designs.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Behold, I will send - At this time Nebuchadrezzar had not invaded the land, according to this Version; but the Hebrew may be translated, “Behold I am sending, and have taken all the families;” that is, all the allies of the king of Babylon. Instead of ואל reel, “and To Nebuchadrezzar,” as in the common Hebrew Bible, seven MSS. of Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s, and one of my own, have ואת veeth, “And Nebuchadrezzar,” which is undoubtedly the true reading.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
the sound of a mill That is an indication of a circumcision feast, since they would grind and crush ingredients for healing the wound.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
31 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִנְנִ֣י | hini | here I | H2005 → | 316 times |
| שֹׁלֵ֡חַ | sholeach | [am] about to send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| וְלָקַחְתִּי֩ | velakachti | and I will fetch | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִשְׁפְּח֨וֹת | mishpechot | [the] clans of | H4940 → | 303 times |
| צָפ֜וֹן | tzafon | [the] north | H6828 → | 153 times |
| נְאֻם־ | neum- | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר | nevukhadretzar | Nebuchadnezzar | H5019 → | 60 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| בָּבֶל֮ | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| עַבְדִּי֒ | ʾavdi | servant my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וַהֲבִ֨אֹתִ֜ים | vahaviotim | and I will bring them | H935 → | 2568 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָאָ֤רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| הַזֹּאת֙ | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יֹ֣שְׁבֶ֔יהָ | yosheveiha | inhabitants its | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| וְעַ֛ל | veal | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַגּוֹיִ֥ם | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| הָאֵ֖לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| סָבִ֑יב | saviv | round about | H5439 → | 336 times |
| וְהַ֣חֲרַמְתִּ֔ים | vehacharamtim | and I will totally destroy them | H2763 → | 52 times |
| וְשַׂמְתִּים֙ | vesamtim | and I will make them | H7760 → | 584 times |
| לְשַׁמָּ֣ה | leshamah | into a waste | H8047 → | 39 times |
| וְלִשְׁרֵקָ֔ה | velishrekah | and into a hissing | H8322 → | 7 times |
| וּלְחָרְב֖וֹת | ulecharevot | and into ruins of | H2723 → | 42 times |
| עוֹלָֽם׃ | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
הִנְנִ֣יhere I
hiniH2005 →316 times
שֹׁלֵ֡חַ[am] about to send
sholeachH7971 →845 times
וְלָקַחְתִּי֩and I will fetch
velakachtiH3947 →966 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מִשְׁפְּח֨וֹת[the] clans of
mishpechotH4940 →303 times
צָפ֜וֹן[the] north
tzafonH6828 →153 times
נְאֻם־[the] utterance of
neum-H5002 →376 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣רNebuchadnezzar
nevukhadretzarH5019 →60 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
בָּבֶל֮Babylon
bavelH894 →262 times
עַבְדִּי֒servant my
ʾavdiH5650 →799 times
וַהֲבִ֨אֹתִ֜יםand I will bring them
vahaviotimH935 →2568 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָאָ֤רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
הַזֹּאת֙<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
יֹ֣שְׁבֶ֔יהָinhabitants its
yosheveihaH3427 →1079 times
וְעַ֛לand on
vealH5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַגּוֹיִ֥םthe nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
הָאֵ֖לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
סָבִ֑יבround about
savivH5439 →336 times
וְהַ֣חֲרַמְתִּ֔יםand I will totally destroy them
vehacharamtimH2763 →52 times
וְשַׂמְתִּים֙and I will make them
vesamtimH7760 →584 times
לְשַׁמָּ֣הinto a waste
leshamahH8047 →39 times
וְלִשְׁרֵקָ֔הand into a hissing
velishrekahH8322 →7 times
וּלְחָרְב֖וֹתand into ruins of
ulecharevotH2723 →42 times
עוֹלָֽם׃perpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 18:16They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.
it leads to
- Psalms 22:7
All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:
- Jeremiah 19:8
I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.
- Ezekiel 33:28–29
I will make the land a desolate waste, and the pride of her strength will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will become desolate, so that no one will pass through.
- Jeremiah 49:13
For by Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will be in ruins forever.”
- Jeremiah 50:13
Because of the wrath of the LORD, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her wounds.
- Psalms 22:7
Through
Isaiah 13:3I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph.
it leads to
- Joel 3:11
Come quickly, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves. Bring down Your mighty ones, O LORD.
- Joel 3:11
Through
Jeremiah 1:15For I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north,” declares the LORD. “Their kings will come and set up their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 4:16
Warn the nations now! Proclaim to Jerusalem: “A besieging army comes from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.
- Jeremiah 9:11
“And I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”
- Jeremiah 4:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
